We can teach children to use healthy coping tools to use when they are feeling angry, worried, sad, or upset in any way. It is good to practice these coping tools, even when we aren’t feeling upset, so they can be reinforced in our brains. There are many other coping tools in the mindfulness section of this blog, but here are a few that I have taught the kids in school: Healthy Coping Tools:
● Take Care of Yourself (Getting enough sleep, eating healthy, taking technology breaks, exercise, and having fun with self, family, and friends) ● Talk about your feelings with a trusted adult ● Use I Feel Statements (I feel/felt______ when_______ because_____ I need_________) ● Color Game/Find a Rainbow (find everything in the room that’s a certain color then go to the next color. You could also find things in the order of the rainbow colors) ● Use Breathing techniques (you can find more on the mindfulness section of this blog) ○ Cookie Breathing- Imagine you have a plate of cookies and slowly smell them then blow on them ○ Balloon breathing- Imagine that your stomach is a balloon inflating and deflating as you breathe ○ Square breathing- Draw a square as you inhale and exhale ○ Hand to Heart- Put your hand on your heart or your stomach and focus on your breathing going in and out ● Imagination Vacation/Happy Place- Visualize your happy place using all the 5 senses Here are some other helpful articles and resources on identifying emotions and healthy coping tools: Good News Our Emotions aren’t set in Stone https://www.mindful.org/good-news-our-emotions-arent-set-in-stone/?mc_cid=3b0db51092&mc_eid=c1729ceaef Coping Skills Activities and Ideas https://www.counselorkeri.com/2019/01/21/teach-kids-coping-skills/
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